Egypt FM to attend South Sudan independence celebrations Thursday

Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry will pay a visit to Juba Thursday to attend the celebrations of the 4th anniversary of South Sudan Independence on behalf of Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El Sisi.

On the sidelines of the celebrations, Shoukry will meet with South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and will convey to him a verbal message from Sisi on ways of boosting bilateral ties, said Foreign Ministry Spokesman Badr Abdel Aati in statements Wednesday.

They will also discuss the latest security and political developments in South Sudan and the ongoing efforts to reach a political solution between the government and the opposition in South Sudan, added the spokesman.

Talks will also deal with a host of issues and African files that concern the two countries, topped by security and stability issues in the Horn of Africa, according to the spokesman.

The spokesman further said that Shoukry will also hold several meetings on the sidelines of the celebration with a host of heads of state and delegations participating in the celebration.

South Sudan, whose capital is Juba, became an independent State on July 9, 2011.

With a population estimated at 11.3 million people, S. Sudan joined the African Union (AU) on the 28th of the same month.